hiatus

noun hi·a·tus \ hī-ˈā-təs \

|Updated on: 17 Jul 2018

Examples: hiatus in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of hiatus

1 a : a break in or as if in a material object : gap

the weedy hiatus between the town and the railroad
—Willa Cather

the hiatus between the theory and the practice of the party
—J. G. Colton

b biology : a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ

2 a : an interruption in time or continuity : break; especially : a period when something (such as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted

after a 5-year hiatus from writing

a summer hiatus

b : the occurrence of two vowel sounds without pause or intervening consonantal sound

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Examples of hiatus in a Sentence

The band is making an album again after a five-year hiatus.
steam was rising from an hiatus in the ground

Recent Examples of hiatus from the Web

On Wednesday, South Shore resident Cynthia Turner was happy to be back at the Taste after a long hiatus caused by surgeries that made walking difficult.

— morgan greene, chicagotribune.com, "Who goes to the Taste? We looked at the data," 11 July 2018
The singer revealed that after a long hiatus from music, an album is finally on the way.

— sofia mele, Billboard, "Marina and the Diamonds on the Struggle to Record New Album: 'I Thought I Wasn't Going to Do This Anymore'," 11 July 2018
This would mark a new age of Trek, which has had usually one and at most two shows on air at a time, followed by a years-long hiatus.

— darren orf, Popular Mechanics, "Harlan Ellison Turned Star Trek Into Something More. Could It Happen Again?," 29 June 2018
Amanecer, the standalone Gresham taco truck that serves some of the metro area's best Michoacan-style tacos, is back at it after a long winter hiatus.

— michael russell, OregonLive.com, "One of the Portland area's best taco trucks is back after a long winter hiatus," 22 May 2018
Shad patterns are among the top colorations for these lures--the shad spawn is likely gearing up right now, and these abundant baitfish will become the primary food of bass feeding after the long hiatus during their nesting period.

— frank sargeant, AL.com, "Time for post spawn bassing on Alabama lakes," 25 Apr. 2018
This is your return to performing in a musical after a long hiatus.

— suzy evans, The Hollywood Reporter, "Victor Garber Puts Aside Firestorm to Touch Up His Musical Theater Roots in 'Hello, Dolly!'," 8 Mar. 2018
Greens is also working other local restaurants to help temporarily place front-of-house staff during the hiatus.

— sarah fritsche, SFChronicle.com, "Vegetarian destination Greens is temporarily closed due to fire," 28 June 2018
Sure, summer just started—but that just means Halloween is closer After a year-long hiatus, Delusion—the fully immersive, highly interactive play that sells out every Halloween—returns with a sixth chapter.

— juliet bennett rylah, Los Angeles Magazine, "After a Year Hiatus, One of L.A.’s Scariest Theater Experiences Is Returning," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hiatus.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Hiatus comes from "hiare," a Latin verb meaning "to gape" or "to yawn," and first appeared in English in the middle of the 16th century. Originally, the word referred to a gap or opening in something, such as a cave opening in a cliff. In the 18th century, Laurence Sterne used the word humorously in his novel Tristram Shandy, writing of "the hiatus in Phutatorius's breeches." These days, "hiatus" is usually used in a temporal sense to refer to a pause or interruption (as in a song), or a period during which an activity is temporarily suspended (such as a hiatus from teaching).

Origin and Etymology of hiatus

Latin, from hiare to yawn — more at yawn

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1563

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

hiatus Synonyms

HIATUS Defined for English Language Learners

hiatus

noun

Definition of hiatus for English Language Learners

: a period of time when something (such as an activity or program) is stopped

Medical Dictionary

hiatus

noun hi·a·tus \ hī-ˈāt-əs \

medical Definition of hiatus

: a gap or passage through an anatomical part or organ; especially : an opening through which another part or organ passes (such as the opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus and vagus nerves pass)